Royal Academy staff protest against planned job cuts

A protest took place at the Royal Academy of Arts in London over the weekend over a planned restructure which could lead to job cuts.

The academy’s plan to cut up to one fifth of jobs as part of cost-saving measures were first revealed towards the end of last month.

A demonstration took place at the institution on Saturday (15 March), featuring around 50 employees represented by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB).

A statement sent to Arts Professional from the IWGB charity workers branch said redundancies “are killing the art world, not saving it”.

“The fact that the same senior management team are making their second round of redundancies in less than five years, whilst refraining from announcing any plans to take pay cuts themselves, really says it all,” the statement added. 

“Institutions like the Royal Academy have a vital role in producing exhibitions and widening access to art and this race to the bottom is only going to drive the organisation further away from its core mission.”

Ongoing consultation

The academy is currently engaged in a collective consultation process with its employees, according to a statement on its website, which outlines that up to 60 roles could be made redundant.

The statement adds that almost half of the roles that could be in danger are currently vacant. 

It cites increasing costs and changing visitor behaviours as challenges to the financial position and cost savings of the academy, which does not receive any public funding.

Natasha Mitchell, interim secretary and chief executive of the academy, said it is a challenging time for all involved but added “it is our belief that these steps are critical for ensuring a sustainable future for the Royal Academy”.

“Together with many in the arts sector, we are facing a serious financial challenge,” Mitchell said.

“We understand the profound impact these proposed changes will have and we are committed to supporting affected employees through this transition.”

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‘Exhausting and frustrating’

One staff member at the academy, who wished to remain anonymous, said it had been a “truly exhausting and frustrating time” for those working at the academy since the redundancies were announced.

“The sense of collective anxiety has been overwhelming. Many of us have been angered by the sense of unfairness of a consultation process in which information has been drip fed to staff,” the staff member added. 

“We will all grieve the loss of colleagues who are full of talent and expertise, and who have brought their brilliance to this institution. Redundancies will only sink this ship, not keep it afloat.”